Basic Sweet Dough - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup water (105-115)
1 package active dry yeast
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
3 -4 cups all-purpose flour

Preparation

Dissolve 1 tsp.
sugar in warm water in large bowl.
Sprinkle in yeast.
Let stand 10 minutes, then stir well.
Heat milk to lukewarm.
Stir in 1/4 cup sugar and salt.
Add lukewarm milk mixture, butter,egg and 1 cup flour to dissolved yeast mixture.
Beat for 3 minutes.
Stir in about 3 cups remaining flour gradually.
If necessary, add more flour to make a soft dough which leaves sides of bowl.
Turn out onto lightly floured board.
Knead dough, adding more flour as necessary, until dough is smooth, elastic and no longer sticky (about 5 minutes).
Place in lightly greased bowl.
Turn dough to grease top.
Cover with greased waxed paper and tea towel.
Let rise in warm place until doubled (about 1 hour).
Punch down.
Turn out onto lightly floured board and round up into a ball.
Cover and let rest 10 minutes.
Shape and prepare according to one of the following variations.
(These variations can also be made with Basic White Bread dough).
Dinner Rolls: Divide each portion of prepared dough into 16-24 equal pieces depending on size of buns desired.
Shape into balls and flatten slightly.
Place on greased baking sheet or in muffin cups.
Cover with a tea towel and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes) Bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes or until golden.
Brush with melted butter, if desired, for soft shiny crust.
Pan Rolls; Divide each portion of dough into 16 equal pieces.
Shape into balls.
Place balls, almost touching, in rows, in a greased 8\" square pan.
Cover and let rise as above.
Bake at 375F for 25-30 minutes.
or twin rolls, Cloverleaf rolls, Cresents, Parkerhouse Rolls, knots and posies.